Philadelphia region celebrates holiday season with festivities for all

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Throughout the Philadelphia region, Christmas came to life with midnight mass at churches, the exchange of gifts, festive decorations, holiday dinners and an array of festivities.

As Christmas festivities continue, members of the Jewish faith prepared for Hanukkah, an eight-day celebration that begins the evening of Dec. 25. In Hebrew, Hanukkah means “dedication” and commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The Jewish holiday is marked by the lighting of candles on a menorah for each day.

One of the largest Hanukkah celebrations in the city takes place in Rittenhouse Square in Center City with music, food and a menorah lighting.

Meanwhile, Dec 26 marks the first day of Kwanzaa, a weeklong celebration observed by many in the African American community. The holiday was established in the 1960s and is rooted in African cultural traditions with a focus on unity, self-determination and collective responsibility.   It is marked by the lighting of seven candles on a kinara, representing each principle.

This year, the African American Museum in Philadelphia will hold its annual weeklong celebration from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, which will include food, music and storytelling.

Philadelphia-area schools embraced the holiday spirit this month, hosting gift drives for students, and collecting canned goods and other essentials for their communities. Several former football players for the Philadelphia Eagles joined in the season of giving, donating presents, school supplies, clothing and personal care items to the students, through their respective charitable foundations.

Former Eagles defensive end Chris Long, 39, brought his philanthropic vision to Philadelphia classrooms on Dec. 10 as The Chris Long Foundation’s EdZone initiative teamed up with Cradles to Crayons, a local nonprofit to create “community closets” at Logan Elementary School and four other schools to provide essential items for students in need.

In an interview with WHYY News, Long said his foundation primarily focuses on literacy while acknowledging a broader challenge: the lack of basic necessities that hinders some students from thriving in school.

“We thought about when a kid comes to school and might not have a winter coat, might not have shoes without holes in them, might not have hygiene products like toothpaste, toothbrush, or deodorant at home,” Long said. “So these [community closets] are really an opportunity for kids to be able to access items they need in order to be able to take the field so to speak with dignity. If I had to take the field without my equipment, I would be lost out there.”

The closets provide basic items such as socks, shampoo, soap, underwear and toiletries. They are run by people at the school such as administrators and teachers, said Long, who won a Super Bowl with the Eagles. “Students can discreetly access these lockers and they are really receptive.”

This December, Mastery Charter Schools, brought holiday cheer with Christmas gift giveaways at John Wister Elementary School in Philadelphia and Mastery McGraw Elementary School in Camden. Mastery operates about two dozen charter schools in Philadelphia and Camden.

Meanwhile, former Philadelphia Eagle Rodney McCleod Jr. and his Change Our Future foundation hosted a Christmas shopping spree at Target on Pennsylvania Avenue, treating more than a dozen families to a memorable holiday experience.

“Christmas is one of our favorite holidays and Fill-A-Cart is one of our favorite initiatives,” Erica McCleod, his wife and co-founder of the foundation, said in a statement. “The holidays are such a joyful time, but they can be challenging for families who are struggling.”